Friday, September 08, 2006

Treasures




On the Monday of our long weekend in Derbyshire, we went to Chatsworth House.


One of the largest private houses in England.
The grandest of grand houses.

Home of the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire.
It's in country side that looks like it's been orchestrated by Disneyland.

It's supposedly the house that Jane Austin modeled Pemberly on, in Pride & prejudice.
Parts of the latest film with Kiera Knightly were filmed there. Specifically the sculpture gallery and staircase.



Crikey what a pile. It took us ages to traverse all the rooms, each one getting more & more grand as we went.














Some of the Passementerie was amazing & would have cost a fortune...



I started taking photos as soon as we got inside the door but soon realised there was never going to be enough room on the camera for all the amazing stuff.




I kept seeing paintings that looked familiar, & realised it was the real Gainsborough or Rembrandt or Veronese that you'd seen before only in a book.


This baby carriage (not so easy to see but...) decorated with snakes was something you would only dream about.










Imagine you had more money than you could ever spend....that's Chatsworth.




























They have an amazing collection of modern sculpture outside in the gardens with one of my favourite artists of all time Dale Chihuly.

























An incredible piece like a party in a boat, or captured fireworks. Can you believe it's made of glass?

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